Design for handicaps

[bazillion]

Just some input here, since there are people who would play and enjoy the game who don't have the same physical functionality as most people do. I know that wheelchair solutions are pretty obvious and I know there's a good community of deaf DGers - I'm talking about the blind folks.

I have a friend who is stone blind, and we played half a dozen or so rounds and he really dug the game. His major problems centered around footing -especially when walking down the fairway and from one pin to the next hole. Any little glitch would give him problems: sticks and stones in the path, sloping terrain, you name it.

He was pretty used to being careful outdoors and we always had somebody there whose arm he could hang onto for balance. But in designing a course, what's really helpful for blind people is to have evenly spaced steps on hills and clear pathways between holes. Anything that would help make progress more predictable.

[bazillion]

dang, somebody tell me how to do those picture dealies!

<img src="http://www.dgcoursereview.com/forums/album.php?albumid=527&pictureid=3371" border="0" alt="" />

[Apothecary]

dang, somebody tell me how to do those picture dealies!

<img src="http://www.dgcoursereview.com/forums/album.php?albumid=527&pictureid=3371" border="0" alt="" />

you need a direct link to a hosted image. right click on the image you want and select "copy image location". then go to the forums and click the lil mountain button and paste from your clipboard and youre golden. :)

[bazillion]

http://www.dgcoursereview.com/forums/album.php?albumid=527&pictureid=3371

mm - that didn't work ...

[bazillion]

http://www.dgcoursereview.com/forums/album.php?albumid=527&pictureid=3371

neither did that ...

[bazillion]

My post count is doing great though ;)

[Apothecary]

lol...should be "http://www.dgcoursereview.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=527&pictureid=3371". i then you need to put the image tags around it (*&^%&^$%).

[AdamH]

I believe 9 of the holes at Barfield Crescent Park (http://www.dgcoursereview.com/course.php?id=272) are wheelchair accessible. There are sidewalks that extend over to and encircle the pin.

Louisville Metro Parks insisted Charlie Vettiner (http://www.dgcoursereview.com/course.php?id=1105) have bridges that would allow people in wheelchairs to play there.

Good idea, poor execution. This course has some extreme terrain in places, which is where three of the four - 6ft wide x 15ft long metal bridges now stand (that you could probably drive a mini cooper or smart car over). So if someone in a wheelchair wanted to play this course they could, but they'd likely be limited to the more open holes because I seriously doubt a wheelchair could traverse the hills to even get to the bridges. But Metro Parks insisted... :wall:

[bazillion]

Yeah, I heard that the people who put Chavez Ridge (http://www.dgcoursereview.com/course.php?id=1109) in the ground had to accommodate a group of local people who INSISTED that the entire course be made wheelchair-accessible ... even though it plays across SEVERE elevation changes. I'd hate to navigate it other than my own two feet!

[bazillion]

http://www.dgcoursereview.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=527&pictureid=3371

YAY!! Thanks, Apoth!!

[zenbot]

Yeah, I heard that the people who put Chavez Ridge (http://www.dgcoursereview.com/course.php?id=1109) in the ground had to accommodate a group of local people who INSISTED that the entire course be made wheelchair-accessible ... even though it plays across SEVERE elevation changes. I'd hate to navigate it other than my own two feet!
I wouldn't want to get man-batter on my wheelchair wheels.

[Apothecary]

Yeah, I heard that the people who put Chavez Ridge (http://www.dgcoursereview.com/course.php?id=1109) in the ground had to accommodate a group of local people who INSISTED that the entire course be made wheelchair-accessible ... even though it plays across SEVERE elevation changes. I'd hate to navigate it other than my own two feet!

that explains all the weird switchbacks. i found the excess of paths there out of the ordinary. i cant imaging anyone playing the front 9 (esp 7-9) in a chair. its rough and steep back there!

on a side note, i think blind folks could get ninja good at disc golf. like the blind guy from "Ninja Scroll." how does your friend do?

[biscoe]

i'm in the process of putting in a hilly, completely wooded course that the county would like to be ADA compliant- no more than a 5% grade on any of the paths. what the heck- it's their money.

[bazillion]

He enjoys it. We used to divide his score by 2 but it got to where he was kicking our butts regularly.

He did actually par (3) #6 at Will Rogers in OKC, which for a blind guy is really saying something.

[biscoe]

there is a nice piece on a blind golfer (alan "bigs" sweeton) in the newest disc golf monthly vid.

[valkyrie]

He enjoys it. We used to divide his score by 2 but it got to where he was kicking our butts regularly.

He did actually par (3) #6 at Will Rogers in OKC, which for a blind guy is really saying something.

Can you explain how you helped him find the basket? Just woundering :) Anyways, thats an awesome score for a blind guy. I can see everything and i still miss every put (even within 10 feet)